Nov 10, 2017 | Torat Devorah
Eliezer arrives in Charan. Rivka gives him water to drink. The Torah states: “And she finished giving him to drink. And she said, ‘Also for your camels I will draw water until they finish drinking.’ “(Genesis 24:19) Why does the Torah specify that she will draw water rather than writing “I will give the camels to drink”? The great Spanish Rabbi, the Abarbanel, tells us that Rivkah was meticulously careful not to say anything that would be untrue. Therefore, she said she would draw water, as if to say, “I don’t know for sure if they will drink or not, but I will draw water for them. If they want to, they can drink.” Rabbi Shmuel Walkin adds that we see here how careful we should be to keep away from saying anything untrue. He cites as an example Rabbi Refael of Bershid who was always very careful to refrain from saying anything that was untrue. One day he entered his home while it was raining outside. When asked if it was still raining, he replied, “When I was outside it was raining.” He did not want to mislead in case it had stopped raining from the time he entered his home. Rabbi Zelig Pliskin explains: ‘This may seem to be ridiculous or inconsequential. However, if a person is careful with keeping to the truth in such instances, he will definitely be careful in more important matters. On the other hand, if a person is careless with the truth, he can even be tempted to lie in major ways.’
| “And she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough and ran again unto the well to draw – and drew for all his camels.” (Genesis 24:20) |
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato takes note of the swiftness with which Rivka performed her act of kindness: “She hastened” and “ran again.” As the Midrash states, “All of the deeds of the righteous are done quickly” (Bamidbar Rabbah 10:7). Rabbi Luzzatto writes: “The man whose soul yearns to perform the will of his Creator will not be lazy in the performance of His mitzvos. His movements will be as the quick movements of a fire and he will not rest or be still until the deed has been completed” (Mesilas Yesharim, Chapter 6). Rabbi Isaac Sher commented on this that even a seeming minor action, such as giving someone water, can be spiritually elevated when prompted by the proper motivation. When Rivka gave water to Eliezer and his camels, she did it with a love for chesed (kindness) which was manifest in her speed. For this deed she was deemed worthy of becoming the mother of the Jewish People. Rabbi Sher encouraged people to elevate the level of their chesed. Most people perform many acts of kindness daily by mere habit. If we were to consider these seemingly insignificant acts not as automatic behavioral responses, but rather as opportunities to do the will of the Almighty, we would succeed in transforming the mundane into the sublime.
With regard to Rebecca, the Torah states: “Isaac brought her into the tent [of] his mother Sarah” (24:67) Rashi and Midrash Rabba comment that this verse can also be punctuated “Isaac brought her into the tent—his mother Sarah,” implying that when she came into the tent she became, in effect, his mother Sarah. For as long as Sarah lived, a cloud (signifying the Divine Presence) hung over her tent. When she died, the cloud disappeared; but when Rebecca came, it returned. As long as Sarah lived, her doors were wide open. At her death, that openhandedness ceased; but when Rebecca came, it returned. As long as Sarah lived, there was a blessing on her dough, and the lamp used to burn from the evening of the Sabbath until the evening of the following Sabbath. When she died, these ceased; but when Rebecca came, they returned.
Prepared by Devorah Abenhaim
Nov 3, 2017 | Torat Devorah
”So she (Sarah) said to Abraham, ‘Drive out this slave woman with her son, for the son of that slave woman shall not inherit with my son with Yitzhak’” [Beresheet 21:10]
One of the tests of Abraham concerned the expulsion of his son Yishmael. After the birth of Yishak, Sarah became very sensitive to the evil ways of Hagar’s son Yishmael and feared his bad influence on her son. Her feelings, of course, were not, Heaven forbid, ones that we could understand, since her thoughts were always motivated by the spiritual future of the people of Israel and not the jealousies and desires of common folk. Abraham, a man of kindness had difficulty with the ultimate decision to expel his flesh and blood out into the desert with minimal provisions but he passed the test and listened to Sarah as G-d commanded.
Rabbi Hirsch Zt’l says that Abraham also saw the bad behavior of Yishmael but was concerned that if the bad influences were able to affect him while living in the house of Abraham and Sarah then the effect of being raised in another environment with Hagar would certainly seal his fate to a life of wickedness. The Hafetz Haim teaches from this chapter a valuable lesson in regard to bringing people closer to Torah and misvot. How far does one go to make contact with those who are non-observant in an attempt to bring them back into the fold and show them the beauty of a Torah-observant life? Certainly, living with Yitzhak would have a positive influence on Yishmael. But, on the other hand, Yishak would not be immune to the negative influences of his 1/2 brother. Sarah ruled the danger outweighed the benefit. Very often one who goes out to mingle with the non- observant in hopes of showing them the way, results in a cooling of the well-intentioned persons Torah values. Rabbi Elhonon Wasserman Hy’d used to say that the Torah warns the Jew not to associate with those who are not observant. He quotes the wisdom of King Solomon who said, “Do not be overly righteous” i.e.”don’t be smarter than the Torah” — heed its warnings!
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter expressed the same idea with a parable. A king once sent one of loyal officers on a diplomatic mission to another monarch. Before he left, the king gave final instructions. “The people there are very wily. Do not wager with them under any circumstances”. He agreed and left to do his king’s bidding.
He spent a few days in the kingdom working out all of the details of his master’s policy with the neighboring monarch. On the day he was to leave one of the officers of the court began to poke fun. “Look at what kind of man the King sent to us–he is a hunchback.” The others in attendance began to laugh and jest also. The emissary objected, “I am not a hunchback nor have I ever been one,” The court officer said, “I will wager 1,000,000 rubles that this man is a hunchback.”
Remembering his king’s instructions the emissary was ready to leave the palace in shame but he thought that this was not really a wager that he could lose and he could come back with 1,000,000 rubles to add to the royal treasury. He accepted the bet. The king said, “Take off his shirt and we will see the truth once and for all.” The man rushed to remove his shirt in order to prove that he was indeed the one who was correct and collect the huge some at stake. Of course his bare back proved that he was in perfect physical shape and was not at all hunchback. Shortly thereafter her returned happily to his country.
As soon as he came before the king he reported with great pride the 1,000,000-ruble victory. To his dismay the king’s face turned to one of anger. “How could you violate my command? Didn’t I personally command you not to wager with those people?” “Yes”, replied the surprised messenger. “Well, what you did not know was that I had bet the king that my messenger would never take off his shirt in the royal court. My wager was for 100 times the amount of your meager bet –100,000,000 rubles. Your disobedience has cost the royal treasury 99,000,000 rubles!”
Rabbi Raymond Beyda explains: ‘The comparison is clear. Very often a person may feel that they know how to protect them self in spite of the warnings of the Torah. Unfortunately, instead of being the influence they often end up to be the influenced. It is very, very important that the observant Jews reach out to help those who have lost their way. It is also important, however, that they follow a path as directed by our spiritual leaders who know the Torah method for recognizing and dealing with the inherent spiritual dangers of interacting with those who are far from a life of Torah and misvot. Also, we all must inspect the environment in which we raise our children to see that it complies with the directives of our contemporary Rabbis who know best how to discern the dangers. We must not feel that on our own we can determine and protect against the dangers that society throws at our children. ‘
Oct 27, 2017 | Torat Devorah
What is God’s first command to Abraham and in essence, God’s first command to every Jew? God tells Abraham: “Go to you, from your land, your birthplace and your father’s home to the land which I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). At first glance, this is hard to understand. What does God mean by, “go to you”? Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt explains: ‘God is telling Abraham to leave behind the influences that have shaped his value system: his land – his society; his birthplace – his peer group; his father’s home – his family. God says to Abraham: Don’t allow these influences to determine your beliefs in life. Don’t allow yourself to be a simple product of your environment, rather: “Go to you.” Go to yourself, Abraham. Look deep inside and find out who you are. And don’t let anyone else tell you. Trust yourself, because ultimately that is all you have to trust. Truth, God tells Abraham, is to be found within every one of us. But we are usually so busy seeking it from without, that we don’t notice what is right in front of our eyes, within. This is a shocking philosophy for a religion to give its adherents, let alone as its first command. Forget what your family tell you to be true. Forget what your friends say. Forget what society says is true. Look inside yourself, and trust what you know to be true.’
One of the underlying themes in the Torah is the importance of developing a sense of gratitude. Even the most spiritual person is liable to fall into the trap of ungratefulness. As Abraham approaches Egypt, a place of danger, after many years of marriage he says to his wife Sarah, “Now I realize how beautiful you are.” It seems that when he realized that he might lose her, he became aware of how much she really meant to him. Rabbi Ron Jawary comments: ‘One of the battles in life is to avoid this danger of becoming accustomed to people and things, and allowing this familiarity to deprive us of our sense of gratitude.
Unfortunately, we so often neglect to realize what we have until it is too late. The Talmud tells us that, in order to help us avoid this pitfall, we should spend a few moments before we partake of any pleasure in the world to say thank you to the Almighty. We should do this even for those things that we all take for granted.
By making a blessing before partaking of any pleasure we protect ourselves from becoming insensitive to the beauty and pleasure inherent in them. We can also take the most mundane moments of our lives and elevate them into a sublime experience, using them as stepping stones to reach the Divine. As King David said, “With every breath I take, I will praise the Divine.”
Prepared by Devorah Abenhaim
Oct 20, 2017 | Torat Devorah
The Torah states: “Noah was a completely righteous man in his generation” (Gen. 6:9).The Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 108a, is bothered by the seemingly superfluous words “in his generation.” What are these extra words coming to teach us? There are two opinions: 1) Praise of Noah. Even in an evil generation he was righteous. However, if he were in a righteous generation, he would have been even more righteous. 2) Denigration of Noah. In his own generation he was considered righteous, but had he lived in Avraham’s generation he would not have been considered righteous in comparison to Avraham. The Chasam Sofer, a great rabbi, explained that there really is no argument between the two opinions. If Noah would have stayed the way he was in his own generation, then in Avraham’s generation he would not have been considered that righteous. However, the reality is that Noah would have been influenced by Avraham and have reached even greater heights of righteousness.
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin comments that this teaches us that we are all affected by our environment. When we are close to people of good character, we are automatically influenced in positive directions. We must choose our friends and your community with care as they strongly impact our lives.
The Torah states: “And Noah, man of the earth, profaned himself and planted a vineyard” (Genesis 9:20). Previously the Torah called Noah “a righteous man.” What happened? Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz comments that by planting the vineyard first, Noah revealed his essence. He should have planted more essential produce first. His choice of priorities lowered his previous spiritual level. He concludes that we should learn that whenever you have a number of things to choose from, note what you choose first. This is a powerful tool to gain greater self-awareness. Regardless of your present level, strive to build up such a love for doing good that it will be first on your list of things to do!
The Torah states: “One who spills the blood of a person shall have his own blood spilled by man, for in the image of the Almighty He has made man.” (Genesis 9:6) This verse is also cited as a source that we must not embarrass another human being. What is the connection between murder and embarrassment? Rabbi Moshe Alshich explains that when a person is embarrassed, his blood flow changes – his face reddens. The Torah tells us in this verse that every person is created in the image of the Almighty. Therefore, every person must be shown great respect. An attack upon a human being – whether it be upon a person’s body or upon his sense of self – contains an aspect of an attack on the Almighty. When one is embarrassed, he is in great pain. The suffering can be even greater than from a physical wound. The harm, however, is much more than the present pain – the person suffers a loss of self-esteem. Humiliating someone can cause a person to fail to realize his true greatness. The ramifications of this are awesome.
Prepared by Devorah Abenhaim
Oct 11, 2017 | Torat Devorah
Male and female He created them (1:27)
Midrash Rabbah states that G d created the first man as a two-sided creature—one face male, and one face female. He then hewed him in two and made a back for each half. But If G d desired mankind to be comprised of both male and female, why did He not create them that way in the first place—as He did with the other animals? The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains: “If they were to be originally and intrinsically two, each would be trapped in the exclusivity of his or her identity. Their encounter would be a relationship at best, a war at worst. Neither would have it in them to transcend the individuality into which they were born. The two would remain two, however integrated. But neither did G d desire man to be a singular being. As a single individual, man was without match, without challenge, and thus without potential for growth and creation. “It is not good that man be alone,” said the Creator; he requires a “helpmeet” and an “opposite.” So G d created them one, and then split them into two. Thus man searches for woman, and woman yearns for man. Thus each has it within their power to reach within their splintered self and uncover their primordial oneness. Thus man and woman cleave to each other and become one.”
And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day (1:31) The six days of creation embody the whole of history, for the world shall exist six thousand years (Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 31a), which is why it is said that “G d’s day is a thousand years” (Midrash Rabbah).
The Ramban comments: “The first day of creation, which saw the creation of light, corresponds to the first millennium of history—the millennium of Adam, the light of the world, when the world was still saturated with knowledge of its Creator and was sustained by the indiscriminate benevolence of G d. The second day, on which the Creator distinguished between the spiritual and the physical elements of His creation, yielded a second millennium of judgment and discrimination—as reflected in the flood which wiped out a corrupt humanity and spared only the righteous Noah and his family. The third day, on which the land emerged from the sea and sprouted forth greenery and fruit-bearing trees, encapsulates the third millennium, in which Abraham began teaching the truth of the One G d, and the Torah was given on Mount Sinai. The fourth day, on which G d created the sun and the moon, the two great luminaries, the greater luminary and the lesser luminary, corresponds to the fourth millennium, during which the First Temple and the Second Temple in Jerusalem served as the divine abode from which light emanated to the entire world. The fifth day, the day of fish, birds and reptiles, represents the lawless and predatory Dark Ages of the fifth millennium. The sixth day, whose early hours saw the creation of the beasts of the land, followed by the creation of man, is our millennium—a millennium marked by strong, forceful empires, whose beastly rule will be followed by the emergence of Moshiach, the perfect man who brings to realization the divine purpose in creation and ushers in the seventh millennium—the world to come—a time of perfect peace and tranquility.”
‘And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat parts thereof; and G d paid heed to Abel and to his offering’ (4:4) By the same token, the Rambam explains, everything that is for the sake of G d should be of the best and most beautiful. When one builds a house of prayer, it should be more beautiful than his own dwelling. When one feeds the hungry, he should feed him of the best and sweetest of his table. When one clothes the naked, he should clothe him with the finest of his clothes. Whenever one designates something for a holy purpose, he should sanctify the finest of his possessions, as it is written (Leviticus 3:16), “All the fat is to G d.
Prepared by Devorah Abenhaim
Sep 11, 2017 | Torat Devorah
In this week’s portion, Hashem asks us to follow in His ways and assures us that “He will confirm you as his holy people – if you uphold His laws and go in His ways. “Then all the people of the earth will see that the name of Hashem is proclaimed over you and they will revere you” (Deuteronomy 28:4-5).
The Torah tells us that our association with Hashem’s name will improve our approval rating. Is it the fact that His blessing will make us successful and the success will bring reverence? Or is it simply stating that if one is righteous then his presence will inspire awe? Or perhaps the promise is greater. Hashem assures us that His guidance and His name, will stand behind our every action. And they will be touched with awe, reverence and immortality.
Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetsky relates the following: ‘In 1923, when Rabbi Meir Shapiro was but 37 years old, he had a revolutionary idea. If all Jews were to learn the same folio of the Talmud and follow a set calendar, not only would Jews complete the Talmud after seven years, but world Jewry would have one unifying thread to bind it together. Thus the concept of the Daf Yomi (the daily Talmud page) was formulated. Selling this idea was not easy. Many rabbinic leaders felt that a two-sided page a day was too quick a pace for complex Talmudic issues. It often took weeks to analyze even one side of a page! However, the idea was received warmly by the great sage and tzaddik, the Chafetz Chaim, who encouraged Rabbi Shapiro to present it at the first Knessiah (World Congress) of Agudath Israel held in Vienna, Austria in 1923. The Chafetz Chaim also understood that Rabbi Shapiro perhaps would be looked upon as too young to present such a revolutionary idea. He was worried that the relatively young iluy (genius) would not be able to garnish the respect from older, more conservative Rabbis, whose support was needed for his idea to be accepted. But the Chafetz Chaim had a plan. I’d like you to introduce your idea at the Knessiah,” he told him. “But walk in to the hall at least one hour late. I’d like you to arrive after the session is already in full swing.” abbi Meir did not understand what the Chafetz Chaim had in mind, but agreed to follow his directive. n the day of the main session, the room was packed. The Chafetz Chaim, as one of the elders of the generation and one of the most revered sages of the century, sat on the dais which faced the huge crowd. As planned, about an hour after the opening remarks, Rabbi Shapiro entered at the back of the hall. mmediately, the Chafetz Chaim noticed him and leaped to his feet. “Rabbi Shapiro has arrived!” he exclaimed as he rose from his chair in respect. Shocked at the Chafetz Chaim’s actions, the entire dais, too, arose. In a few moments, the entire assembly stood in honor of the man whom the Chafetz Chaim so honored. With an expression of disbelief, Rabbi Meir, his head bowed with humility and awe was led to the dais. The Chafetz Chaim turned to him in the presence of the entire assemblage and proclaimed. “Now the Rav will address us with a novel idea.” History tells us the rest of the story. More than seventy years later, on September 28th, 1997, more than 100,000 Jews, world over, attended the tenth siyum (completion) of the Daf Yomi. They filled Madison Square Garden, Nassau Coliseum, and assembly halls and convention centers across the globe. They celebrated the tremendous feat inspired by one man’s idea and the almost-divine encouragement of a great sage that stood up to the challenge.
The Torah tells us this week that every idea needs a divine handler. Hashem’s blessing assures that the world will appreciate that seemingly mortal ideas are actually His ideas – and they will become eternal. In addition to the blessing of wisdom, Hashem gives the blessing that wise words and advice will be heard and revered. It is not only what you know, but Who you know. And when that someone is G-d Almighty, then the blessing is assured. As the Torah tells us that “the people of the earth will see that the name of Hashem is proclaimed over you – and they shall revere you.” Because when G-d’s name speaks – people listen.
